A TREE destroyed in last week’s storms missed hitting a parish councillor by seconds.

A TREE destroyed in last week’s storms missed hitting a parish councillor by seconds.

Formby Parish Councillor Norma Griffiths was about to go out when the tree smashed into her house and blocked the front door on Thursday.

It damaged the roof, windows and a light at the home she shares with her husband, Formby councillor Barry Griffiths, who said: “It’s frightening. If she would have been coming out it would have landed on her.

“It just makes you think how life can change in a matter of seconds.”

They had the tree and two others removed by a tree surgeon, who dealt with five other cases in Formby that day.

A tree also crashed into the wall at the home of Duncan Mc Nab in Kirklake Road

Firefighters were called out after a tree ploughed into the road, affecting a lamp post in Larkhill Lane.

They also dealt with a dangerous tree at a car park in Furness Avenue, another in Buckfast Drive and one in Philips Lane on Friday.

A caravan left in a dangerous position also had to be dealt with in Old Town Lane and a damaged hoarding along Kirklake Road was also a threat to public safety.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service received 700 calls throughout the region, during what proved to be its busiest day of the winter and more than half were storm related. A spokesman said it proved to be the busiest day of the winter period with around 700 calls made to its control room.

“We were called to a wide range of incidents, including trees that had fallen into people’s homes, chimneys and roofs in dangerous condition and various storm damage-related problems.

“Our operational staff and our mobilising centre worked flat out trying to help as many people as possible.”